O Nindo

• Japanese/Chinese: 翁 任道 (Ô Nindou / Wēng Rèndào)

Ô Nindô was a Ryukyuan scholar-official and court musician. He served as one of five gakushi (lead musicians) on the 1714 Ryukyuan embassy to Edo at the age of 17, being perhaps the youngest to ever serve in that position.

He was named to the koakukabe (novice musicians + pages) attached to the shoin (study) of Shuri castle in 1709, at the age of 12; this was a standard entry position for young boys first entering the court. He came of age in 1713 at the age of 16, and that same year was appointed to the following year's mission to Edo, as a gakushi.

His son Ô Kôki also became a musician and dancer at court.

References

• Liao Zhenpei 廖真珮, "Ryûkyû kyûtei ni okeru Chûgoku kei ongaku no ensô to denshô" 琉球宮廷における中国系音楽の演奏と伝承, in Uzagaku no fukugen ni mukete 御座楽の復元に向けて, Naha, Okinawa: Uzagaku fukugen ensô kenkyûkai 御座楽復元演奏研究会 (2007), 123, citing Naha shishi vol 7, p69-70.